Virtual Reality (VR) technology allows users to experience a more immersive environment when playing games, training, and performing other simulated activities. The VR headsets are worn by the user for a full experience, but these headsets, by design, also isolate the user from their physical surroundings. While isolation limits unwanted interference from the physical environment, it also reduces a user's awareness of things in their surroundings that may actually warrant their attention.
The inventors have considered that it may be possible for a VR headset to use a mobile phone to monitor the user's physical surroundings via the phone's camera. However, this potential solution, while novel and interesting, would likely reduce device battery life, and may also cause the device to overheat as the camera, GPU, display, and host processor would all be running at high capacity.
Before proceeding to the remainder of this disclosure, it should be appreciated that the disclosure may address some of the shortcomings listed or implicit in this Background section. However, any such benefit is not a limitation on the scope of the disclosed principles, or of the attached claims, except to the extent expressly noted in the claims.
Additionally, the discussion of technology in this Background section is reflective of the inventors' own observations, considerations, and thoughts, and is in no way intended to be, to accurately catalog, or to comprehensively summarize any prior art reference or practice. As such, the inventors expressly disclaim this section as admitted or assumed prior art. Moreover, the identification or implication herein of one or more desirable courses of action reflects the inventors' own observations and ideas, and should not be assumed to indicate an art-recognized desirability.